Technology and the Tooth Fairy

If you were to conduct a performance review with the tooth fairy at our house, I’m afraid there would be some “issues” to discuss. I’m not sure if she’s had problems at home, substance abuse or maybe transport complications but the tooth fairy has been a little off her game. If we were looking at best practice in the Tooth Fairy’s performance measurement, she’s failed on some key performance indicators.

I’m not the sort of person to cast dispersions on a fairy but after several “no shows” where she simply hasn’t arrived (particularly on weekends), I’ve started to wonder about her commitment to the role. When asked by the little travelers I naturally felt that I should cover (for said fairy) and came up with a few parental gems “oh, I see what’s happened here, you had the tooth BETWEEN the pillows, I’m pretty sure she has to have it under BOTH pillows, it’s an occupational health and safety thing”. Or “she didn’t come again? You know, I seem to remember hearing she’s in the Southern Hemisphere on Mondays, don’t worry Tuesday’s a Northern Hemisphere day she’s bound to come tomorrow”.

Back in June on the day we were flying out of Doha to Australia, little traveler number 2 lost a tooth, we promptly put it in my bedside table, hopped on a plane and forgot about it. Over the summer there were a couple of mentions of how we would give it to the fairy when we returned. Up until last night it was still in my drawer. Up until last night, when the tooth fairy redeemed herself and is now enjoying accolades of the Santa kind.

Yesterday Little Traveler number 1 lost a tooth at the end of the day, just before bedtime. We went through the usual routine of baths, jim jams, stories and kisses goodnight. After the chaos, G and I sat talking downstairs enjoying a glass of wine. Little did we know, there was some serious action going on upstairs.

The first discovery was on my pillow, a cryptic note from Little Traveler number 2,

Why only Mum? I’m guessing because only Mum knows about the tooth we left in the drawer, I didn’t remember straight away though. Traveler number 2 wanted to make a claim, especially now that she had seen toothless Little Traveler number 1 in the bed next to her writing some serious correspondence to the tooth fairy.

When entering their room we discover 2 little girls fast asleep. Under traveler number 1’s pillow is an itouch and a very busy piece of paper that has questions and carefully drawn lines that are waiting for answers. The itouch has a message on the screen “Dear Tooth Fairy, don’t forget to fill out the questionnaire!” It appears the Tooth Fairy now has to be proficient in apple technology as well.

The questionnaire had some fairly personal questions. How old are you? What’s your favourite meal? Where do you live? What’s your outfit made of? I imagine the tooth fairy had to concentrate very hard to make sure her handwriting was perfect and her answers were quantifiable. What the tooth fairy did next though was a true crowd pleaser. She remembered the tooth of the 2nd little traveler in the drawer and with the same pen and paper wrote a little note saying she had found the tooth while visiting.

This morning I opened my eyes to the sounds of giggles. Little travelers were yelling from room to room “look, look”. There was action everywhere. As the stories were excitedly relayed to me I tried desperately to open my eyes and focus while reading both notes aloud, astonished and just as excited by the Tooth Fairy’s brilliance. The adorable toothless grins nodding and staring back at me.

Congratulations Tooth Fairy, as I listened to the little travelers on the way to school this morning the performance review was impeccable, you had excelled in all KPI’s. Your career and reputation saved. Time for a bonus I think! Or at least a new pair of shoes?

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